An account of something that may one day turn out to be wonderful.......

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

On the sea to Jura

The next day we awake. Well is it sunny out there?

No is the answer to that!

We go on the breakfast area and site down and order

After having a mixed grill for dinner I ordered something slightly different, a mariners breakfast. Essentially salmon and eggs, which tasted very salmonie.

Les and my brother however did go for the Scottish breakfast.

Once over full again, well I hadn’t actually recovered from the food from the day before we pack our things up.

Brave the weather and fill the Skoda with the essentails we are going to need for the next couple of days.

Leaving Les’s motor emptish.

Well I’m glad I’ve got this jacket with me.

I keep Les company and off we set to somewhere in the near vicinity that Les wants to visit.

And whilst I’d like to bring my bike up here, thankgod I’m neither of these pair.

While lovely it is also bleak. After lots of windy road we arrive at

the village of Crinan. Not really much here. A hotel and a begining of a canal with a well used lock.

We check the lock out. Very interesting.

and I admire the veiw thining that some time soon I’ll be over there somewhere.

Les on the other hand is enjoying the typical Scottish weather.

Me I’m pondering if the up coming ferry crossing is going to be rough.

In the basin it is smooth as a mill pond.

There is some public convenices so we all go

before getting back into the cars.

We head further south

towards Kennacraig where we are catching the ferry.

we arrive to find the port a bit of a construction site.

Les parks his car up and we all cram into one. It is tight. But at least the ferry is here waiting to load up.

An not before time we are requested to load.

The doors burst open and we are shown to where the lift is for my mom, by a very helpful person.

So this is it. Lets hope it doesn’t sink.

#

Wow look how big it is.

We settle down and have a drink each, filling out a questionnaire a lad would like us to do. I can see its the most exciting thing thats going to happen on this journey and so Oblige, today I’m Hindu.

Well I can say that the ferry moved around enough to make me travel sick. Not sea sick, travel sick. Not that I was sick, it just gives me a head ache.

We head out doors and say goodbye to the mainland.

And go exploring

As I said there is so much to do out there.

Les considers jumping to make the experience so much more, wetter.

I do however convince him to come inside and

enjoy the art sculpture.

Well theres the car, along with all the others with their car alarms going off.

Last orders is called at the restaurant and so we go to eat. I have Macaroni cheese.

In the distance the port at the Isle of Islay comes into view.

This ferry really goes some for a boat

it turns round to get into port and we are advised to go to our cars.

We find the lift and then slowly walk my mom to the car on the crowed car deck and get her comfortable. We have a shuffle about and from here on I drive.

We head up the main road and hill and take a right, which takes us to the Caolila Distillery.

and every other car on the ferry seems to follow us

Its a most exciting place to come, I guess if your a whiskey lover. For me though it would all have be nicer if Irn Brew was on offer.

From here we return up the road, turn right and then right again down some single track for miles. We reach the coast line once more and find the

Bunnahbhain Distillery. Unlike most we ignore the car park at the entrance and drive right in.

There is a car park on the premises as well, but I also ignore that and park up here.

We go for a wander down the pier.

And then wander back. I’m not really sure why they came with me. Perhaps they wanted to visit the distillery as a group.

Up a flight of stairs and into the office building and

the small shop. They all looking for free tasters again. I just want some Irn Bru.

Well I wander back off outside to enjoy the cool and refreshing air. They eventually get the hint that I’m all to happy for them.

And we drive on. The weather getting somewhat worse.

Back at the port we await the ferry that will take us to Juar just across the water.

Ah I can see it coming,

erm it seems to be struggling slightly. That is a relief.

The ferry makes it and then the ferry crew, well wander off!

Some time later we are on board.

We are parked at the front which gives us the best view for the journey! And on this occasion its proberably best not to know what was going on, we could feel it anyway.

The ramp drops and we are off and onto the road

to Craig house. This being the main road and an A road at that.

At Craighouse we park up in the Jura Hotel car park.

Yep very welcoming

got to say the view from our window is nice. Would be nicer if it was sunny.

From our other window we could see the distillery.

we head outside for a walk on the wild side.

and it is truly wild out here.

they don’t even lock their bikes up here.

The plants seem to like it out here though.

We return to the hotel and I ask my dad if he minds if we “borrow the car”.

We decide to take a look what is on the island following the A486 to its end point.

And here is the worlds most exciting journey. Well the journey may not be exciting but the commentary is!

Les tells me the KLF came here and burned 1 million dollars on a beach in the name of art. Well Les we must find that beach!

The drive back was nearly as exciting as the drive there. We pass someone on there bike on the mobile phone exactly where we had passed them on the way up. Proberably the only place on the island there is a mobile signal.

then as we turn a bend there is a heard of deer in front of us. I stop, but before you know it they are all leaping into the woods.

A couple hang back and let us take these shots before starring us out and then leaving.

The journey back seems so long. Just how far did we travel?

Too far obvously.

Back at the hotel we park up.

I visit reception and buy a post card of Jura or two.

which is followed by a visit to the “hidden” bar. Its not hidden from outside but to get to it from inside the hotel means walking behind the bar.

Eventually my parents come on down for dinner and

we move to the dinning room and admire

the view across the bay.

Starters are consumed and we await the dinner.

which in a way was easy for the chief as we had 4 venison pies!

and one chicken dinner for my mom.

And for pudding I had yet another cheese board.

With full bellies we decide it might be wise to go for another quick walk and some fresh air.

Which might have been nice if it had not started raining again!

We look back a the few twinkling lights.

The bin on the pier showed the fisher men had been happy.

And with that it was

time to head back. The other went back to the bar, me though went to bed.

contains information that is non-accurate, made up and in some cases just down right lies. Anything in this blogg may be based on true fiction but to help dramatise it, some items may have been embellished. Some names are made up, others are not and any that are familar to yours just are.

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The Me

About me:

Out of my mind looking for inspiration. This is really just additional to my homepage and blog, located at my homepage, as many of my mates now have an exciting 'myspace and now facebook' - and so like a lamb to the slaughter, I follow suit, to land on someones dinner table to be chewed upon and digested..

Television

Books

I'm not a big reader but every now and again I'll read a book, my favourite ones were:

GirlFriend 44

Vince and Joy

The Beach

Stretch 29

The International Gooseberry

The Fuckup.

Heroes

Superman - Who else!

Who I'd like to meet:

I know it sounds odd but I'd like to meet:Micheal HutchinsonIan CurtisKurt Cobain!Others would include Princess Lea, Drew Barrymore, Christina Ricci but mainly Princess Lea so I could show her my light-sabre ;)

sega_dreamcast game

PS1 game

PS2 game

philips g7000

videopac

mx5 blue

phatnoise

skoda superb 1.9 elegance

Mx5 Eunos Roadster VR Ltd

Cavalier Days

I owned my Red Vauxhall Cavalier 1.7TD GL for 13 years, taking it to a few countries including, Germany, France, Spain, Monaco, Switzerland, Gibraltar, Italy, Scilly, Andorra, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We have now parted when I sold it on. Good, simple, reliable practicable and comfortable engineering, will they ever make another car so good?
.

Based on the
S-Special, the "RS-Limited" is launched, with 15" BBS alloy
wheels, Recaro seats, in a special deep blue/green body (500
produced)

Base car: S-Special

Body colour: Deep blue/green

Lower ratio final drive (4.300:1)

Lightweight flywheel

Bridgestone RE010 50 tires

BBS 15 inch alloy wheels

Recaro full bucket seats

Nardi steering wheel

December

The "G-Limited"
is launched, with cobalt blue body colour and hood (1500
produced). White versions of the "V-Special" and "S-Special" are
also added to the range.

Body colour: Satellite blue mica

Soft top colour: Dark blue

Adjustable bucket seats

MOMO steering wheel

Stereo with door-mounted tweeters

Alloy wheels

1995

February

"R-Limited" is
announced, based on the S-Special, with blue body and red hood
and interior, plus a lower final drive and 15" alloy wheels
(1000 produced)

Base car: S-Special

Body colour: Satellite blue mica

Interior colour: Red

Leather seats

Nardi wooden steering wheel and shift knob

Wooden handbrake lever

Lower ratio final drive (4.300:1)

Lightweight flywheel

Bridgestone RE010 50 tires

BBS 15 inch aluminium wheels

August

Series II 1800
introduced, with several small changes, including a lightweight
flywheel to improve responsiveness(Normal version, "S-Special I", "S-Special II", "V-Special" and
"V-Special II")

1800cc DOHC 16-valve engine

128bhp/6500rpm

116lbft/4500rpm

16-bit ECU

Lightweight flywheel

Final drive ratio 4.300:1 (5=speed manual transmission
model)

* Cars based on this model:M package carSpecial package car

Bridgestone RE010 50 tires

BBS 15 inch alloy wheels

December

"VR-Limited"
announced, based on the S-Special. There are two versions -
"Combination A" (700 units), in maroon with tan hood, and
"Combination B" (800 units) Mica green with green hood

Combination A

Base car: S-Special type

Body colour: Maroon

Soft top colour: Tan

Interior colour: Cream

Leather seats

Aluminium shift knob / handbrake lever / gear-lever surround

Combination B

Base car: S-Special type

Body colour: Green mica

Soft top colour: Dark green

Interior colour: Black

Leather seats

Aluminium shift knob / handbrake lever / gear-lever surround

1996

December

Cobalt blue
"B2-Limited" launched, with chromed alloy wheels and door
mirrors (1000 produced). The "R2-Limited" (500 units) is also
announced, finished in white with 15" alloy wheels and red
leather interior.The driver's side SRS air bag system is made standard in all
cars (previously an optional extra).

Base car: M package car

Body colour: Twilight blue mica

Soft top colour: Dark blue

Polished alloy wheels

Chrome plated door mirrors

Moquette bucket seats

Chrome plated instrument rings

CD / cassette / radio

Base car: S-Special type

Body colour: White

Interior colour: Red and black

Leather seats

Aluminium shift knob / handbrake lever / gear-lever surround

Chrome-plated instrument rings

Bridgestone RE010 50 tires

15 inch alloy wheels

1996

August

The
"SR-Limited", in green with part leather bucket seat, is
launched. It has a Torsen LSD (700 produced)